Peace Corps

Well, I finally sent off some questions and info to the peace corps to see if they have a use for me. I don't know if I'll fit their needs. They've always been in the back of my mind, and right now I'm in the mood and mode to live closer to basics. Helping small communities install that basic requirements for sustainable living sounds like it's right up my alley. I'm still not ready to get back into career mode, and the corps can help keep me from having to go back before I'm ready. In the interim I get to do more stuff that's fulfilling at at a very basic level.

We'll see what they say.

in a rush

People are nutsos. But the best nuts are those that weave in traffic, going 20 miles over the speed limit to get around me, who does a modest 2 miles over the limit, only to have me pass them again at the next street light. I get immense pleasure from seeing these guys silhouetted hand waving exercises, and their phlegm specked windows as they glare and try to yell through the glass at me. Oh, I wish more nutsos had bad air conditioning, so I could hear them. My window is always down, but they seem to need the cool air to help keep their fiery passion from boiling them away.

Red pickup driver guy, thanks for the chuckles you gave me when you were upset that I wasn't moving forward on the shoulder to get around a guy that was going to be making the same turn we both were going to make. You are a slow driver, were you afraid you were going to get stuck at the light? Your bouncing, steering wheel slapping, and tossing your hands in the air, was great. Enthusiasm and great grand gusto. Maybe you were just listening to a really good rap song?

Beat up, black jetta dude, you are a fast driver. Wasn't it fun racing along, really cranking the revs to cut around me? I saw your cheery, cherry red tail lights as you careened to a stop a few blocks away from me at the stop light. I had fun too, as I coasted past you as the light turned green, and pulled in front of you again so I could turn right just past the intersection. I noticed you noticing me. You have OK teeth. I could tell by the way you were showing them to me that you are obviously proud of them. Your impersonation of a dice gambler was creative. I could really see you rolling those dice in your clenched fist over your head. I bet you won that throw, but I'm faster where it counts; mainly in pissing you off.

I've enjoyed you all, and I can hardly wait to see more of you rushing folks.

Motor on a sailboat is cheating?

I'm having motor problems, and mentioned this fun fact to friends. One of them thought having a motor on a sail boat to be cheating, I disabused him of this notion with the following argument:

The slip that I'm living in is in a channel about this wide-> | | (roughly the width of a thumbnail held at 4 arm lengths from your eye). Typically the wind is blowing directly east, meaning that I'd have to sail dead into the wind (impossible) or tack like nuts to get up wind without running into the many expensive boats nearby, all the while dodging the Olympic paddling crew that are furiously racing up and down the same channel. Running the motor for about 15 minutes every time I go out makes life easier and less bloody for us all.

Also, what happens if I rip a sail? Or the wind dies? Or my mast snaps in two? Or I feel like spending $200 in parts for a motor I use rarely? Or I see some cute manatees with no propeller scars yet? See, a motor is needed. I almost got a paddle the other day as a backup to my backup... but paddling a 24' 4000 pound sailboat is tiring, and I can't carry enough ice to keep all the beer cold that would be needed if I had to actually paddle the boat.

Hope that clears it up. I am cheating, but I'm manly, and smelly, enough that no one will call me on it!